Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge believes Jose Mourinho could be trying to get himself sacked at Manchester United.
Mourinho is under pressure after United lost 3-2 to Brighton on Sunday, with several concerns over his man-management style. Aldridge, writing for the Irish Independent, claims that history is repeating itself as Mourinho isolates himself from the club.
Aldridge said: “This guy seems to go out of his way to inject poison in his dressing room and whatever his motives, he is not getting the reaction from players any more.” Mourinho has been criticised for his treatment of younger players such as Luke Shaw (23) and Anthony Martial (22). And Aldridge believes the former Chelsea coach is not the right fit at Old Trafford.
“As a Liverpool man through and through, Mourinho used to annoy the hell out of me as he was brilliant at winning football matches with an arrogance off the field and a brand of football on it that was not my cup of tea at all.
“His abrasive manner off the field and the defensive football he promotes was never easy to watch and while we all suspected he would not be a good long-term fit for Manchester United, few of us could have predicted he would have alienated everyone in his dressing room all over again.”
Aldridge said he can understand why some players find it hard to play for Mourinho.
“I look at Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and while he has not won the trophies Mourinho has collected over the course or his career, he has a wonderful way of getting players on side and presenting his club in a good light.
“Mourinho seems to be precisely the opposite, as he criticises his players in public and looks grumpy and miserable most times we see him in front of a camera.”
Aldridge suggested Mauricio Pochettino of Tottenham, who recently signed a new long-term deal with the London club, could be a good replacement for Mourinho if things don’t go to plan, whilst others have suggested ex-Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.